| "The Queen Who Ever Was" | |
|---|---|
| House of the Dragon episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 8 |
| Directed by | Geeta Vasant Patel |
| Written by | Sara Hess |
| Featured music | Ramin Djawadi |
| Cinematography by | Catherine Goldschmidt |
| Editing by | Crispin Green |
| Original air date | August 4, 2024 |
| Running time | 70 minutes |
"The Queen Who Ever Was" is the eighth and final episode of the second season of the fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones. The episode was written by Sara Hess and directed by Geeta Vasant Patel. It first aired on HBO and Max on August 4, 2024. Several days before its release, scenes from the episode were leaked online and quickly shared among fans on TikTok, X, and Reddit.
In the United States, "The Queen Who Ever Was" garnered a viewership of 8.9 million during its premiere night, with nearly 1.5 million viewers on linear television alone. The episode was met with mixed reviews from critics, receiving a rating of 48% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the lowest-rated episode of the series to date. The musical score, cinematography, and cast performances (particularly of Emma D'Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Abubakar Salim, Harry Collett, and Fabien Frankel) were highly praised. However, the episode was criticized as a weak season finale, with its cliffhanger failing to provide a satisfying conclusion to the season, though the set-up for the next season was appreciated.